Hair and Makeup Artists Reveal How They Make Stars Stand Out on Virtual Red Carpets

Halley Brisker

For Pieces of a Woman virtual press, Vanessa Kirby and her hair-stylist pared down with “casual” undone waves with “a cool vibe” to highlight her acclaimed raw performance in the film. “This element of wanting to bring it back down to earth, in terms of glam, and focus more on the artistic side of acting,” explains Brisker. He worked with Kirby’s natural wave pattern to create the romantic, off-the-face look. “It’s about not blow-drying it through and not doing certain things, but a little bit of product here and there, and a specific way to use the flat irons a little bit to make some bends,” says Brisker, who uses the Kerastase Résistance range for hair care and the Nutritive line for styling. “It’s a delicate approach to just tweaking what she has naturally.”

INSTAGRAM @halleybrisker

Joanna Simkin

“We found a good balance in the middle of glam, but still feeling not overdone,” says Issa Rae’s makeup artist about the 2020 triple nominee’s remote Emmy Awards appearance. She used a technique of blending and contouring with two shades of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation to highlight Rae’s flawless complexion and create depth. For a “fresh and citrusy” vibe inspired by Rae’s orange Sergio Hudson dress, Simkin used “peach tones” from Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Quattro Eyeshadow Palette in Festival and Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in Sunset. “Adding that little tiny bit of sunset into her eye helps pick up the dress, brighten and coordinate without being obvious,” says Simkin. “You can’t quite figure out why everything is blending together so well because you give the illusion of the color.”

INSTAGRAM @joannasimkin

Emily Cheng

“Yara and I really love color,” says Yara Shahidi’s makeup artist. “Whenever we see a bright pop of color on anything she’s wearing — or we have the opportunity to have some fun — we definitely will take advantage.” For a virtual panel in October, Cheng perfectly matched Shahidi’s neon top by applying a yellowy, lime-green hue from Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Norvina Pro Pigment Palette Vol. 2 on her lids. “We both love accentuating her eyes,” adds Cheng, who finished off the look with Dior Waterproof Eyeliner in Trinidad Black and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. “When it is for a panel and you want to look a little more put together, sometimes a pop of color helps bring the look together.”

INSTAGRAM @emilychengmakeup

Lacy Redway

“Tessa and I really love playing with length, like extreme lengths of hairstyles,” says Tessa Thompson’s longtime hairstylist, who seamlessly coordinates full looks with the entire glam team, stylists Wayman & Micah and makeup artist Nina Park. To begin the Sylvie’s Love weeklong junket, Redway designed a complex high braid as an homage to Thompson’s low ponytail for the 2015 London Creed premiere and a “latex whip” for the 2019 Met Gala. But to really jump off the screen, Redway amped the intricate details and dimension. “First, I did this normal, regular three-strand Dutch braid and then I added a braid on top of that and wrapped it like a rope,” she says. “I love playing with different textures within one hairstyle.”

INSTAGRAM @lacyredway

Ben Cooke

For day one of Nicola Coughlan‘s virtual Bridgerton global press junket, her glam team planned around her dress and a “fabulous” red double-bow Margot headpiece from Emily-London. “I completely agreed, but we also decided that her hair needed to have some texture and fullness, so that she wore the band and the band didn’t wear her,” explains the London-based hairstylist, who also focused on style “longevity,” as, per protocols, he could not stay for touch-ups. Using Living Proof Thickening Mousse and Full Dry Volume Blast, Cooke created volume and definition by curling small sections away from her face with a medium iron. He then artfully arranged the soft, “undone” waves around the band for a day of Zoom.

INSTAGRAM @bencookelockonego

Kirin Bhatty

“We’re just not getting to do as many looks as we get to do normally, so we really homed in on the natural environment around us,” says the makeup artist about Awkwafina’s fresh-faced, autumnal look for a series of November virtual events. Dior Lip Glow in Coral pays homage to “Mother Earth.” But for long stretches in front of the computer screen, Bhatty focused on creating low-maintenance and “healthy-looking, comfortable skin” with a customized “primer cocktail” of Nars mattifying Pore & Shine Control and highlighting Radiance. Bhatty’s emphasis on comfort continues behind the scenes, too. “I want clients to be able to relax and to feel like the best version of themselves,” she says. “So we definitely have upped the essential oils and the pampering part of the makeup process. The level is at 10.”

INSTAGRAM @kirinstagram

Nathalie Eleni

“She really likes a statement lip,” says Anya Taylor-Joy’s makeup artist. For a Queen’s Gambit press junket look, Ilia Color Block High Impact Lipstick in Rumba created a moody dark berry stain, while Smashbox Photo Finish Primer maintained “natural, lovely, hydrated skin.” For added intensity, Eleni drew along “Anya’s amazing eyes” with a fine black liner by Suqqu and “built her lashes up” with Shiseido mascara. “I just really went for it with the mascara and primer,” Eleni says, “just enhancing her natural beauty.” Lighting is also key — but, spoiler, Taylor-Joy doesn’t use a ring light. “It’s just natural light,” says the makeup artist. “Natural light is the best.”

INSTAGRAM @nathalieeleni_beauty

Nai'vasha

“Her initial thought was just a really clean ponytail,” says the hairstylist about Tracee Ellis Ross’s audience-free appearance to accept her style icon honor at the 2020 People’s Choice Awards. “I’m like, ‘Hmmm, if we do a ponytail, it really has to do something. Like, it really has to dance.’ ” So Nai’vasha landed on an aesthetic of “very, very strong Old Hollywood glam, but in a modern way.” Working with Ross’ natural texture (and using Strong Hold Gel from her Pattern hair care line), Nai’vasha created finger waves to “delicately” lay on top of a long, braided ponytail culminating in soft, wispy curls. “It really celebrated texture and elevated the power of Hollywood glam,” she says. “Tracee is the epitome of Hollywood glam.”

INSTAGRAM @naivashaintl

This story first appeared in a January stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.